Refrigerating construction



Feb. 11, 1936. F, H. HIBBERD ET AL REFRIGERATING- CONSTRUCTION Filed March 23, 1954 2 Sheets Sheet 1 D I D 5m P D E N/AO N W560 M N m N MKH A /NE P. H m 0 H @J: T P G AND Feb. 11, 1936. F. H. HIBBERD El AL REFRIGERATING CONSTRUCTION Filed March 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb, 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,030,514 REFRIGERATING CONSTRUCTION New Jersey Application March 23,

8 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in refrigerating constructions, and more particularly to a novel type of evaporator in which a portion of a liquid refrigerating agent or medium, such as water, is vaporized to lower the temperature of said medium.

The evaporator of this invention comprises multiple chambers as disclosed in the application of Frederick H. Hibberd,'SerialNo. 716,947, filed of even date herewith, for patent on a Refrigerating construction. An object thereof is. to provide an evaporator including a plurality of compartments or chambers having therein either longitudinal or transverse weirs at the tops of which, or adjacent thereto, the vaporization of a portion of the refrigerating medium is accomplished; each weir forming in conjunction with a part of the interior of the chamber containing it a space or well to which the refrigeratg-o ing medium is supplied, and which is adapted to prevent further inflow of said liquid refrigerant whenever said chamber is cut out of the system and thus rendered inoperative.

A further object of our invention is to pro- 25 vide a refrigerating system having multiple evaporator chambers, with a conduit to supply the refrigerant to said chambers, said conduit having a valve therein exterior to said evaporator, and 7 one of said chambers containing a regulator 30 member connected to said valve and arranged to maintain the refrigerant, after being chilled by vaporization of a portion thereof, at a. constant level in said chambers, independent of the rate of outflow therefrom.

The objects and-advantages of the invention are clearly set forth in the ensuing description, which presents several forms in which our invention is embodied. The. disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and numerous alterations can 40 be made without going beyond the principle of the invention, or exceeding the spirit and scope of same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows an outline of a refrigerating system according to our inven- 45 tion, partly in section,

Figures 2 and 3 are horizontal sections on lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar view showing a slightly modified construction,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Figure 5.

In the drawings the same numerals identify 55 the same part throughout.

1934, Serial No. 716,946

Referring first to Figure 1, we show at I an evaporator having a supply pipe 2 and an exhaust or delivery pipe 3, water being admitted to the evaporator I and after being cooled therein being withdrawn through the conduit 3 and carried off to be used as intended. The evaporato! l contains several compartments or chambers 4, 5, 6 and 1 separated from one another by means of transverse partitions 8. A portion of the incoming water is vaporized in one or more of these chambers, and the water vapor is removed by means of suitable evacuator members, such as steam ejectors or steam jet boosters, which are at the tops of the chambers and discharge into a steam exhaust pipe 9. These ejectors in operation maintain the vacuum high enough in the chambers to cause vaporization of part of the water. 7

All of the water vapor formed in the chambers of the evaporator is transmitted through the pipe 9 to a suitable condenser (not shown) to be liquefied. The steam electors raise the pressure of the water vapor to the pressure in the condenser, which is somewhat higher than that in the chambers which are working. The ejectors are supplied from a common steam line Ill.

The water supply pipe 2 has branches ll leading to the supply chambers 5, 6 and I, and a smaller branch pipe l2 which enters the compartment'4. The inlet openings through which water enters the evaporator by way of the branches H are indicatedat I3. The common delivery pipe or header 3 communicates with the lower ends of all the chambers through branches or riser pipes [4 by way of outlet openings IS. The communication between the conduit 3 and any of the chambers of the evaporator is always free because no valves are employed in either the delivery pipe 3 or any of the branches M.-

So long as the. various chambers are in operation and water is vaporized therein and water vapor removed therefrom, the Water in the various chambers will be cooled to the required extent. If, however, one of the compartments is not operating, the level of the liquid contents or the cooled water therein will automatically sink, for the chilled contents of this particular chamber will be forced out, because the pressure then rises in that chamber until it equals the pressure in the condenser, but enough of the water will be trapped in the riser connected to that chamber to seal it and keep it from communicating with the other chambers. As this method is fully set forth in the application of Frederick H. Hibberd, Serial No. 716,945, for'patent on Controlling devices,

filed of even date herewith, that part of the apparatus herein described which gives this mode of action is therefore not recited in the claims appended hereto.

When one of the boosters is turned ofi for purposes of saving steam at reduced load, and condenser pressure is exerted in the corresponding evaporator chamber, the water to be chilled must be prevented from entering this inactive chamber. This is necessary because the inactive chamber is now in free communication with the condenser and if relatively cold water enters the chamber it will become heated by the condensing therein of the discharge steam from the boosters present in the condenser. Part or all of the desired refrigerating effect will therefore be lost. Hence the interior of each of the chambers 5, 6 and I is provided with a weir l6 adjacent one side of the chamber which may extend longitudinally between the partitions 8 and one of these and the end of the evaporator Each weir rises from the bottom of the evaporator and extends toward the top. Adjacent the upper edge the weirs may be pierced with a row of openings l1. Each of the weirs together with the adjacent portions of the interior of each chamber 5, 6 or 1 provides a space or well l8 to which the water is admitted through the inlet 13, and a certain portion thereof will be vaporized at once as it is delivered from the wells into the chambers. The top of pipe l2 may have openings similar to openings [1 in the weirs [6, at the same level.

To carry away the water vapor, each of the chambers 4, 5, 6 and I has an outlet IS in the top leading to steam ejectors or steam jet boosters 2!]. These are in the form of L-shaped tubular members which communicate at one end with the outlets l9 and are connected at their opposite ends to the conduit in which they discharge. Each ejector receives a steam nozzle 2| connected by Pipes 22 to the steam line H), and each branch pipe carries an admission and shut-off valve 23. The ejectors for all the chambers discharge into the conduit 9 leading to the condenser (not shown), but the ejector for the chamber 4 is of muchsmaller size and capacity than the others, and serves a special purpose described below. The chamber4 is not provided with a weir but the inlet pipe I2 extends from the bottom as high as any of the. weirs IS in the other chambers, and forms a well in effect. All of the weirs and the pipe I2, are of the same height.

Water tobe cooled may enter all the chambers through the branches I I and the inlet pipe l2, and as part of it is vaporized the'water vapor is removed by the steam ejectors through the pipe 9.

The water which is chilled by the vaporization of part thereof, passes out through the risers l4 and the delivery conduit 3 as above set forth. So long as the steam jets are supplied from the line I0 the vacuum in the chambers remains high enough, but if any one of the steam jets is shut oif the absolute pressure in the chamber to which that jet is connected, will increase and become equal to the pressure in the condenser. This pressure will lower the level of the water in the well below the top of the weir or openings I! in that chamber, so that no more water can enter the chamber that is not being evacuated. This condition is shown in Figure 4. The remaining chambers will continue in operation and discharge the chilled, refrigerant through the common delivery conduit 3. The condenser pressure in the chamber which is out of operation will force down the level of the water therein and thus compel the conduit 3 to drain that chamber to a point which will be generally in the riser l4 below the outlet opening IS. The risers, however, will be high enough so that some of the water will be trapped in the riser connected to the inoperative chamber, and seal the same from below, and the higher pressure therein will be prevented from taking effect in any of the other chambers. See the chamber 1 in Figure 1.

The system will be operated by including all the chambers or by cutting out one or more of the chambers 5, 6 and 1. be in operation because it contains a float 29 which actuates a valve 26 in the water supply line 2 outside of the evaporator. This valve is shown as a rotary valve having an outside arm 21 con- 1 nected by a rod 28 which passes through the wall of the chamber 4, to the interior thereof and is connected to a bell crank lever which supports the regulating element or float 29. This float so actuates the valve 26 that the water is maintained at a constant level in the chambers of the evaporator independent of the rate of outflow. If this water level drops the valve is opened further and if the water level tends to rise it is moved towards closed position. The steam jet for the chamber 4 which discharges into the pipe 9, while somewhat smaller than the other steam jets, will be so proportioned that it will maintain the same vacuum in this chamber as in the other chambers which are working.

This is insured by admitting a small amount of water through the small conduit l2 thereby establishing the temperature and pressure in chamber 4 as substantially the same as that in the other active chambers. I

It should be noted that the pipe I 2 and the booster for the chamber 4 are of such relatively small capacity that no appreciable refrigerating effect is produced and the sole function of this booster and its chamber 4 is to maintain the proper water level-in the active chambers irrespective of which ones are in use, and without necessitating manipulation of any float control valves for putting any of the chambers into or out of service. With all the chambers in communication with one another through the risers |4,' the chilled water therein tends to seek the same level in the chambers that are working because each chamber is subjected to the pressure head of the cooled water in the other chambers,

Chamber 4 must always and this level will be constant so long as the vacuum maintained by the steam jets is the same in the chambers which are working. When any chamber is cut out of operation the admission of further water thereto from the pipe 2 is prevented because the higher condenser pressure in that chamber forces the level of the inflowing water down from the top in the well, while the water already chilled in that particular chamber is forced out and that chamber is emptied except for a portion which remains in the riser pipe, at the level indicated in the riser H of the allel to the partitions 8, and the steam ejector of chamber 4 is of the same capacity as .the other ejectors. other chambers, instead of an inlet pipe l2, the operation of this construction is the same as described above, but the design is somewhat simplified and costs less to build.

The provision of'weirs in a broad sense is not a part of our invention. Likewise, the idea of the chamber 8 with a small inlet pipe I2 and the control connection for the pipe 2 is not broadly speaking a part of this invention, for these features are recited in the claims of the application of Frederick H. Hibberd for patent on Refrigerating apparatus, Serial No. 716,947, filed of even date herewith. We do, however, claim the idea of the particular arrangement of weirs in longitudinal and transverse directions and the position of the valve 26 in the pipe 2 outside of the chamber 4 in this application.

It will be seen that, as illustrated in Figure 2, the level of the inflowing water in any chamber which is operating is higher than the level of the chilled water at the bottom of the chamber, where it collects before passing out through the risers l4. Vaporization of part of the water takes place as the incoming water flows downward from the upper portions of the wells l8 and the pipe l2. As long as the water vapor is sufliciently evacuated from any chamber by the members 20, the level of the incoming water remains high enough to be discharged from the well. When the vacuum is lessened upon the stoppage of any one of the steam jet boosters the increase of absolute pressure within the chamber which is put out of operation forces down the level of the incoming water in the wells so that no more inflow of water occurs and at the same time it depresses the level of the chilled water therein to the point indicated in connection with the riser M connected to the chamber 1.

We claim:

A 1. A refrigerating construction comprising an evaporator to receive a liquid refrigerant, said evaporator containing a plurality of chambers, a well in each of said chambers, means for admitting said liquid refrigerant to said wells to be discharged from the upper portions thereof in said chambers, said means containing a valve outside of said evaporator, a regulating element in one of said chambers, connections between same and said valve to control the supply of said liquid refrigerant and render it independent of the rate of outfiow of said chambers, a common delivery pipe connected to said chambers and means for removing vaporized refrigerant from said chambers.

2. A refrigerating construction comprising an evaporator containing a plurality of chambers, means for supplying aliquid refrigerant part of which is to be vaporized in said chambers, means for evacuating vaporized refrigerant from said chambers, means for delivering the remainderof the liquid refrigerant from said chambers, a valve in the supply means on the outside of said evaporator, and a regulating element in one of said chambers connected to said valve arranged to maintain the liquid refrigerant in said chambers at a constant level.

3. A refrigerating construction comprising an evaporator to receive a liquid refrigerant, said evaporator containing a plurality of chambers, a well in each of said chambers, means for admitting said liquid refrigerant to said wells to be This chamber has a weir l6 like the discharged from the upper portions thereof into said chambers, said means containing a valve outside of said evaporator, a regulating element in one of said chambers, connections between said valve and said element to control the inflow of said liquid refrigerant, a common delivery pipe below said evaporator, branch risers connecting said delivery pipe to said chambers, and means for removing vaporized refrigerant from said chambers.

4. A refrigerating construction comprising an evaporator containing a plurality of chambers, a longitudinally extending weir in each chamber, forming with a portion of the inside thereof a well to receive a liquid refrigerant, said well being closed at the top and having discharge openings in the side thereof, a supply pipe in free and independent communication with the lower portion of each of said wells to admit the liquid refrigerant thereto, means for delivering said liquid refrigerant from said chambers, and means for evacuating vaporized refrigerant from said chambers, connected to maintain substantially equal vacua in said chambers.

5. A refrigerating construction comprising an evaporator containing a plurality of chambers to receive a liquid refrigerant, a supply pipe having branch connections with said chambers, one

of said connections extending above the bottom of one of said chambers and forming a well therein, means forming wells in the other chambers to the lower portions of which said pipe delivers, said supply pipe containing a valve outside of said evaporator, a regulating element in the first named chamber, connections from said element to the said valve to control the supply of said liquid refrigerant, a common delivery pipe connected to said chambers, and means for removing vaporized refrigerant from said chambers.

6. A refrigerator construction comprising an evaporator having a chamber, means for supplying to said chamber a liquid refrigerant, a portion of which is to be vaporized therein, an evacuator member to remove vaporized refrigerant from said chamber, the evaporator containing a second chamber, a connection between the second chamber and said means, an evacuator member of relatively small capacity to remove vaporized refrigerant from the second chamber, common delivery means connected to said chambers and a regulator member actuated by the level of the liquid in the second chamber and connected extemally of said second chamber to control said supply means.

7. A refrigerator construction comprising an evaporator having a chamber, means forming with a part of the interior of said chamber a well having its upper portion above the bottom of the chamber, means for supplying to the well a liquid evaporator containing a plurality of chambers, a

longitudinally extending weir in each chamber forming with a portion of the inside thereof a well to receive a liquid refrigerant, said well being closed at the top and having discharge openings in the side thereof, a supply pipe connected in multiple with the lower portion of said wells to admit the refrigerant thereto, means for delivering said refrigerant from said chambers, and

means for evacuating vaporized refrigerant from said chambers, connected to maintain substantially equal vacua in said chambers.

FREDERICK H. HIBBERD. GEORGE H. WOODARD. JOHN KIRGAN. 

